One look at professional male model and natural bodybuilder, Anthony Catanzaro, and it is obvious he knows something about the fine nutritional balance required to achieve stunning muscularity and razor sharp cuts.

Indeed, dieting for a winning physique is something Anthony knows a lot about, and judging by his success on the posing platform, and the year-round low body-fat levels he is able to maintain, he has tapped into a formula that promises real results, fast.

According to many gurus and experts within the bodybuilding and fitness industry, diet is responsible for up to 80 percent of the results one would expect from their respective programs. That said, it is not surprising that athletes and fitness enthusiasts spend much time meticulously planning their diets, and analyzing everything they eat, to gain that all important nutritional advantage.

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Today, Anthony will help to take the guesswork out of your dieting dilemmas, by providing exclusive, solid advice on what he recommends an aspiring champion do to achieve their best possible shape. With Anthony's expert nutritional advice, outstanding, long-term progress will be made. Become a champion today!

[ Q ] Hi Tony. Describe your current approach to dieting for a bodybuilding show, or modeling shoot. Provide the day to day plan that you would use.

Well, here's the thing. If I'm looking to get as cut as possible, I have to go to my diet and make some changes. Right away, many people would think "just don't eat so much or don't eat any carbs." That is completely wrong!

Let's say I eat 3,000 calories a day to maintain my weight and to stay pumped. All I would do before a contest or photo shoot, is change the calorie amount for each micronutrient,(protein, carbohydrate, fat).

You see, I would just increase the protein and lower the carbs and fat. That's all I would do. If I were to lower my calorie intake, I would lose weight. Now bodyweight is mostly muscle. I will explain: people have this belief that they have to lose weight so they think that losing 15-20 pounds equals a fat loss, but its doesn't!

Do you know how much 15-20 lbs of just fat is? It's enough to cover your whole body and then some! Fat does not weigh much at all. It is muscle that is heavy and dense. For example, the next time you cut the fat off that steak you can feel how light it is. Now if you cut a piece of steak, you will feel the weight difference right away. That meat you are eating is muscle!

[ Q ] Do you do anything differently when preparing for a modeling shoot, compared to a bodybuilding contest, as far as diet is concerned?

In my case, I usually follow the same type of diet. I do mostly fitness and bodybuilding modeling, so it's pretty much the same. Sometimes, I have to shoot for a romance novel, or a swim or clothing catalog, in which I would have to be a more stream line physique. For this type of work I would have to reduce my calorie intake.

[ Q ] When getting in shape, what are your favorite diet foods and why?

That's easy, I love grilled chicken. I can't understand why, but I love chicken! My mother used to cook chicken cutlets for me every day when I was a kid. Being that she was a hard core Italian, my mom didn't grill the chicken, she would fry it!

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I also love to eat fish, my father used to work in the fish business.

Big Fish Story:

Here is a funny story. When I was growing up my mom used to work in a factory sewing wallets. To make a long story short, she used to cook fish sandwiches early in the morning as I was getting dressed for school. She would sell them to her co-workers at lunchtime and let me tell you those sandwiches were the best!

Anyway, I used to go to school smelling like fish! The kids use to pick on me and call me "Anthony Catfish". I thought I would share that with you. I also love potatoes, oatmeal, and brown rice.

[ Q ] Funny story Tony. Do you have an off-season? How far out of shape do you allow yourself to get?

I actually never truly have an off-season, since I'm always doing photo shoots, I can never afford to lose my abs. But I don't believe in the traditional off-season.

Click To Enlarge.I Never Have A True Off-Season.

Yes, gaining some added weight during the winter when your not doing shows is great, but that doesn't mean eat whatever you want. You still have to remember, you're a bodybuilder not a fat builder.

[ Q ] How important do you consider diet to be, when getting in shape? What other factors do you need to consider?

There are no other factors! Diet is everything, I repeat EVERYTHING! For example, train as hard as you want then go eat Big Macs, pizza, and ice cream. Then go look at your abs! Or you can try this, don't workout at all besides maybe a little walking. Eat perfect and drink plenty of water. You will see that you are nice and lean!

[ Q ] How do you combat cravings? Do you allow yourself "cheat" foods?

Yes, I love good ol' pizza from a good pizzeria, just plain old cheese pizza, no pepperoni or meatballs etc. Just two slices of pizza like in the movie
"Saturday Night Fever". Tony's eating two slices, one on top of the other. That's me walking down the street.

I am happy to say that my customized diets have helped thousands of people around the world get into shape quickly and safely. The whole idea behind the diet is to take in the individuals weight, age, and health requirements and then put it all together in a seven day eating plan.

But that's not all! I also put everything into perspective for them, so they don't have to count calories, because I already do it for them!

After you're done reading and following your diet, you will know everything there is to know about getting and staying in shape forever! Now, isn't that worth 20 bucks? To purchase this plan, please go to www.anthonycatanzaro.com.

[ Q ] There has been controversy about the amount of protein one should consume. What are your thoughts on protein consumption? How much to you take in pre-contest and at other times?

I always take in at least 1.5 grams per pound of body weight, so if you weigh 200lbs, you need 300 grams. Now, I know there is a lot of talk about protein, and that people are afraid to eat too much protein.

PROTEIN CALCULATOR

Bodymass

The Results:

Protein

First off, I eat six-meals-a-day, all food! I take in around 50 grams of protein a meal. Your body is made up of protein, so why would anyone think that too much protein can be harmful? Protein is incredibly beneficial!

[ Q ] What types of fats do you consume primarily? What are your views on fat consumption?

Fat is fat! Regardless of what type of fat. Yes, of course saturated fat is bad and we all need to stay away from it, but this is what it comes down to: Fat is 9 calories per gram. It's very dense, the body loves it when you eat fat because the body only cares about one thing... SURVIVAL!

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When you eat fat you feel full right away. For instance, go eat two large spoons of peanut butter then wait a few minutes, I can guarantee that you will feel full and content. That's because you have just eaten 200 calories from fat alone.

I eat only around 50 grams of fat a day, which usually comes from natural sources like raw nuts, avocados. I'm not a believer in oils since they are processed, but flax seed oil is very healthy.

[ Q ]Carbohydrates are often thought of as a good source of energy. Do you favor a high fat or high carbohydrate approach? Are there certain circumstances where a particular approach should be used?

Carbs are the best source of energy! I eat around 400 grams a day! I get them from:

Sweet potatoes

Potatoes

Brown rice

Grits

Oatmeal

I feel carbohydrates should be the primary energy source for a hard training bodybuilder.

[ Q ] For the average person wanting to get in shape, what type of diet would you recommend? For the bodybuilder, what would you recommend?

I cannot just give all of that information away! That's why I develop customized diets. That would also be way too much to answer. Every individual requires something different, depending upon their activity level,
metabolism, and of course goals.

The best advice I could give is to order one of my customized diets created specifically for you! Everyone is different.

[ Q ] How long does it take you to achieve contest shape?

I usually start around two months before the contest date! But that is only for the contest when I am looking to get under 5% body fat.

Click To Enlarge.Contest Shape.

[ Q ] Do you do anything special in the final week prior to a contest?

No, I keep it pretty much the same all the way through. I let my own body burn fat. You see, you have to let your body work for you not against you!

[ Q ] What supplements do you use, and why? Which ones would you recommend for your clients, and why?

[ Q ] Thanks for your advice Tony. If you could list five keys to successful dieting, what would they be?

If you want to be successful and stay successful in your dieting, you have to first understand that it is not a diet, but a healthy way of eating.

If you look at it as a diet, you will fail because your body will feel neglected! It will feel like it's missing out on the enjoyments of what you would call real food! So then what is grilled chicken... fake food?

Click To Enlarge.It's Not A "Diet."It's Healthy Eating!

We are all made to believe that we have to eat like one another. That means fast food, ice-cream and other processed garbage you may have in your refrigerator right now.

God made the earth for us to live in and to live off of.

God did not make McDonalds!

God wants us to all live happy and to help one another stay happy! Here are my five keys to successful eating and of course living!

Have faith that what you are doing is working!

Learn as much as you can from the internet and books.

Stay around people who will help encourage you, not put you down, or try to get you to break. Those are the people who want you to fail! Get as far away from these people as you can!!

Learn to love yourself! God made you who you are inside. Let that inner person shine that's the true you!

Understand that you are not on a diet! You are on a healthier happier You!